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The reason why this question came up was due to the Blistering Flourish power of the Desert Wind monk. It gives the following bonus:

Until the end of your next turn, your melee attacks deal extra fire damage equal to your Charisma modifier.

Let's say I make a melee attack afterwards which has a 'hit' and an 'effect' line. E.g. "Light the Fire", which creates an aura that does damage in burst 1 as an effect.

Does the Charisma bonus from Blistering Flourish apply only to the hit or also to the effect?

For reference, Blistering Flourish and Light the Fire are quoted here:

Blistering Flourish - Monk Attack 1

At-Will ✦ Elemental, Fire, Full Discipline, Implement, Psionic
Attack technique
Standard ActionMelee Touch
Target: One creature
Attack: Dexterity vs. Reflex
Hit: 1d8 + Dexterity modifier damage. Until the end of your next turn, your melee attacks deal extra fire damage equal to your Charisma modifier.
Level 21: 2d8 + Dexterity modifier damage.

(there's also a movement technique portion, but that is omitted here)

Light the Fire - Monk Attack 1

Encounter ✦ Aura, Elemental, Fire, Full Discipline, Implement, Psionic
Attack Technique
Standard ActionMelee touch
Target: One creature
Attack: Dexterity vs. Reflex
Hit: 2d8 + Dexterity modifier fire damage.
Effect: You activate an aura 1 that lasts until the start of your next turn. Any enemy that starts its turn in the aura takes fire damage equal to 2 + your Charisma modifier.

(movement technique omitted again)

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Which power does the effect? how its presented matters \$\endgroup\$
    – wax eagle
    Jul 22, 2014 at 15:24
  • \$\begingroup\$ I've rolled back the last edit. 4e's gaming license says it's not ok to copy whole power texts around. Consider adding a link to the DDI entries if you have it, or just naming the powers (or saying just the useful snippet of text, which is borderline but less problematic, I think). \$\endgroup\$
    – Zachiel
    Jul 24, 2014 at 0:07
  • \$\begingroup\$ Fair Use allows us to do that actually. If we're discussing a work, Fair Use allows us to reproduce the parts of the work vital to our discussion, as long as (a) it's reasonably small and not an excessive quantity, and (b) won't impact the copyright owner's ability to sell their product. Quoting a couple of powers being discussed is Fair Use. I'm not sure what license you're referring to: we're readers and players with books, not publishers or redistributors. Could you provide that license? If not, I intend to roll this back to the version with the powers - or at least quote their text. \$\endgroup\$ Jul 24, 2014 at 0:13

3 Answers 3

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Your mileage may vary.

Wizards was inconsistent about using the word "Attack" to refer to a Power vs. to an attack within a power, and with keeping the powers logical in general (which results in some amusing results- see the Barbarian's Thundering Howl for an example of a Melee Burst).

If "attack" here means the power, then it should apply. If "attack" here means attack, it doesn't.

This is relevant to the monk for other reasons- various feats or items that allow you use Flurry on a second attack might require a second attack power, or might only require a second attack (and there are a few monk powers with 2 attacks), so your DM or table should probably decide it.

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Looking at a power like Tsunami Throw, the answer is No.

This power has the attack seperated with a different attack keyword. It's Burst instead of melee at that point and the damage would not apply. It's not a melee attack at that point, it's a burst attack.

If the effect is not a separate attack with a separate keyword, it's still a melee power and thus would do the extra damage. Rising Storm doesn't quite fit (no effect line), but it would get the benefit of this as it does not specify damage "rolls".

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Yes, it applies to both Hit lines and Effect lines. It even applies to Miss lines.

That's because it applies to "your melee attacks", and the entire power is an attack - provided it meets the conditions for being considered an attack. All of those lines (Hit, Miss, and Effect) are part of the power, therefore part of the attack, therefore eligible for extra damage.

However, in your example, you overlooked the part where it says "your melee attacks".

That means it has to be a melee power. According to Rules Compendium p100, melee powers are those with a range of Melee weapon, Melee [number], or Melee touch. Powers that have a range of Burst aren't melee powers.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ You mean a burst in an 'effect' line isn't a melee attack any more even when it is mentioned in a melee attack power? \$\endgroup\$
    – telandor
    Jul 23, 2014 at 9:50
  • \$\begingroup\$ I don't have the book that power's in, and it seems I don't have the full picture of what you're describing. Could you quote that power in your question? \$\endgroup\$ Jul 23, 2014 at 12:33
  • \$\begingroup\$ Certainly. I added the whole powers as images. See my edit. \$\endgroup\$
    – telandor
    Jul 23, 2014 at 18:42
  • \$\begingroup\$ Thanks - I'll revise later when I have access to my books. \$\endgroup\$ Jul 23, 2014 at 23:18
  • \$\begingroup\$ I've rolled back the edit for copyright reasons. Of course, everything is still there in the edit history... >_> \$\endgroup\$
    – Zachiel
    Jul 24, 2014 at 0:09

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